this blog is contributed by Janet Davies
All rural communities are sad to see their young people go away to find work and experience the world. But here in the County young people are actually moving IN. Or coming home. I know at least 10 young couples who have CHOSEN to live and work here. They didn’t come looking for jobs. Most created their own, or started a business, and some are growing fast and employing other young people. Like Crowe Video Productions.
Trevor Crowe is 29, a County farm boy who left to become an engineer and work for Big Industry. He did very well until Big Industry laid him off together with 1,000 co-workers. Job security was out the window, a recession was looming, so Trevor changed direction. “I made videos on the side, mostly for our church,” he told me. “I love helping people tell their stories.” And he was good. His 20-minute documentary “Busy Dying” sold 700 copies locally. He had no job but he had talent, courage and the support of his wife, Rachel. So in Oct. 2008 they went into the videography business, working from home.
“I I started going to business networking meetings in Belleville where I discovered big demand for web videos.” Yes Virginia. The world is changing. Businesses that used to hire sign-painters now hire web designers and video-makers. On a visit back home, Trevor also discovered exciting things had happened in the County while he had been away. What he saw impressed and surprised him – and inspired him. At a Creative Minds meeting he met a lot of other young entrepreneurs and felt the energy flow. So he took another bold step. He moved Crowe Video Productions to Prince Edward County. He’s coming home, and he’s creating jobs. Read more in Part 2 of Return of a County Kid, to be posted soon. For a taste of a Crowe production watch Closson Chase – the video playing on the screen behind them in this photo.
